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Argentina Expands Military Drones Project for “Peaceful” Purposes

EspañolArgentina’s national government is developing unmanned aerial vehicles or military drones, and ones much more sophisticated than those built so far, according to a dossier by newspaper La Nación published on Tuesday. Although officials have assured the drones will have peaceful purposes — such as carrying out scientific experiments and surveillance of the territory’s borders — this project has caused distress among specialists and privacy-rights advocates.

La Nación consulted officials at Argentina’s executive mansion, the Pink House, and the State Department. They confirmed that the production of these unmanned planes will be under the Ministry of Defense, the state company INVAP, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Héctor Timerman.

According to the daily, the artifacts are tiers two, three, and four drones. Even though these are military-grade aircraft, they will be developed for “peaceful purposes.” Unlike the drones currently employed in war operations in the Middle East and Asia, the features of these Argentinean models are not supposed to allow the transportation of weapons and missiles.

Since legislation regulating the fabrication and usage of drones in Argentina does not exist, the control and future of these devices is a matter of debate. In countries such as Mexico, Peru, and Colombia, though, the use of drones has been denounced by human-rights NGOs.

In Argentina, the dialogue about the use of drones is still in its early stages. Just recently, conservative National Deputy Agustín Portela introduced a bill to amend Article 36 of the Aeronautical Code, so the use of drones can be regulated.